Cultivate
Provides opportunities inside and outside the classroom to cultivate and enhance your overall learning and academic experience.
GENDER INSTITUTE FOR TEACHING AND ADVOCACY
Major milestones are activities Gender, Women and Sexualities Studies Major, B.A. students should complete during their first year, middle years and final year at MSU Denver.
Explore the Gender, Women and Sexualities Studies Major, B.A.
Grounded in the values of intersectional feminism, activism, access, community and learning and centered on the power of education towards liberation, the Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy (GITA) provides academics, advocacy, and programming opportunities to students. We provide students the skills to challenge the status quo, interrogate the world around them, and teach students how to analyze, communicate and organize so they feel empowered to work against and abolish systems of oppression.
CAREER MILESTONES
There are nine essential skills you should have in order to find, acquire, maintain, and grow within a job.
Essential skills build through majoring in Gender, Women and Sexualities Studies include:
- Critical Thinking, Oral & Written Communication, and Global Learning
- Understand power privilege and oppression
- Research and critically analyze social and cultural issues through an intersectional perspective
- Develop strategies to address inequalities and produce a world in which liberated communities live with dignity and joy!
Students graduating from Gender, Women and Sexualities Studies find themselves as:
- Writer
- Community Organizer
- Social Science Researcher
- Human Rights Activist
- Victim’s Advocate
- JEDI Specialist
- Public Service
100% of GWS majors complete an internship or teaching assistantship.
Click here to explore career opportunities by major.
Many students also choose to pursue a graduate degree.
WHAT ARE MAJOR MILESTONES?
Major milestones consist of activities students should complete during their first year, middle years and final year at MSU Denver. These milestones will help prospective and current students explore major and career options and create a year-by-year plan to integrate curricular (what happens inside the classroom), co-curricular (what happens inside and outside the classroom, and non-curricular (what happens outside the classroom) experiences. For example, milestones might list specific classes student should take at specific times along their journey or may suggest when students should participate in research opportunities with faculty members.
Simply put, Major Milestones are meant to enhance your student experience and set you up for success.
MAJOR MILESTONES CATEGORIES
Engage
Highlights activities you can engage and participate in globally, nationally and locally to enhance your essential skills and start building your resume.
Prepare
Lists steps to prepare for postgraduate success whether that's entering the workforce, attending graduate school or pursuing other goals and plans.
HOW TO USE THE MAJOR MILESTONES TOOL
- Scroll to your current year in school.
- Read the steps listed in each category: Cultivate, Engage and Prepare.
- Complete any necessary steps listed.
- Check out further resources by connecting with your academic advisor, the Classroom to Career Hub, and your department faculty.
All options listed below are available in-person and online unless noted otherwise.
ARRIVE - Your First Year at MSU Denver
First Year Milestones
- Join a student organization and get connected to support on campus.
- Declare a major, (explore our fully online programs!) or meet with an exploratory advisor to learn about options.
- Attend signature events on campus (Convocation, Fall Fest, Spring Fling, etc.).
- Check out Career Link for on-campus and career-aligned jobs.
- Attend Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) career workshops and events.
- Write your early experience resume and utilize resume resources from the C2Hub.
- Attend Orientation and register for classes.
- Meet your academic advisor to map out your journey and declare your major in GWS.
- Research potential study abroad options.
- Visit GITA on campus and attend one of our events.
- Attend a meeting with student clubs on campus.
- Check out internships and job opportunities on Career Link.
- Consider taking a career and personal development course to develop skills for professional success and self-care.
THRIVE - Your Middle Years at MSU Denver
Middle Years Milestones
- Consider adding a minor or adding a certificate to your chosen major.
- Explore resources like the tutoring program or the writing center.
- Get familiar with MSU Denver’s Academic Planning Tool.
- Explore student leadership on campus and volunteering in your community.
- Earn credit and gain experience through an internship, study abroad, or community-engaged learning.
- Attend identity or interest-based campus events like the Richard T. Castro speaker series.
- Connect with the Undergraduate Research and Scholarship program.
- Attend an in-person Career Fair to network and secure a professional headshot.
- Connect with the Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) for opportunities for professional mentoring and job shadowing.
- Consider adding a minor in another field or a micro-credential.
- Meet with your advisor.
- Take your Method (GWS 2200) and Theory (GWS 3280 or 3510) courses.
- Speak with your professor about research, teaching or learning assistant opportunities.
- Participate in the Applied Queer|Trans|Feminist Studies Lab.
- Connect with the C2Hub on professional mentoring and networking opportunities.
- Apply for scholarship and/or award opportunities.
SOAR - Your Final Year at MSU Denver
Final Year Milestones
- Meet with your advisor to complete remaining graduation requirements.
- Ready to Graduate? Check out this guide from the registrar!
- Attend or present in-person at a major-specific or industry-specific conference or networking event.
- Attend in-person alumni and campus-wide networking events.
- Submit a proposal to present in-person at the Undergraduate Research Conference.
- Seek to collaborate with local civic organizations.
- Finalize your portfolio of relevant projects and skills.
- Get help on your industry-ready resume, then attend in-person career-focused events.
- Identify needs for Professional Certifications or MCAT/LSAT etc. and prepare for professional school admissions.
- Prepare and submit applications for jobs, explore graduate school, or relevant post-grad training.
- Complete your senior capstone (GWS 4750) and your Internship (GWS 4920) or Teaching Assistantship (GWS 4970).
- Apply to graduate.
- Integrate electives.
- Participate in diversity oriented and social justice events on campus.
- Consider a leadership role in Triota, Feminist Alliance, or other student club.
- If considering graduate school discuss options with a faculty advisor.
- Present at a conference or consider publishing in an undergraduate journal or local paper or magazine.
Roadrunner Roads
Things every student should do at MSU Denver.
Roadrunner Upkeep
- Complete FAFSA/CASFA/COF/Scholarship Applications every year.
- Stay on track for graduation by meeting with your advisor every year and check into the Rowdy Pit Stop every semester.
- Read The Runner in your email every Monday.
Roadrunner Career Readiness
- Find and get hired for jobs during college and beyond by visiting the Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) and utilize C2Hub resources for students.
- To be prepared for any opportunity that comes your way, update your resume early & often.
- Explore options for hands-on learning and explore graduate school & get prepared for both.
- Log in to Career Link each month to stay up to date on programs, events, and job/internship opportunities.
Roadrunner Wellbeing
- Explore wellness and belonging resources from CESA.
- Access mental wellbeing support through the Counseling Center.
- Visit Rowdy’s Corner when you need some food access support.
- Nourish your physical well-being by checking out the Rec Center and checking out Exercise Sciences, including for-credit courses.
- Determine if you need to fill out the Health Insurance Opt-Out Waiver each semester.
Additional College Resources
College of Letters, Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Steps for Success
Major Map
Download the Gender, Women and Sexualities Studies Major, B.A. Map (from CLAS), a print version of this webpage.
Academic Program Page
Visit the Gender, Women and Sexualities Studies Major, B.A. Program Page to learn more about this program and all it offers.
Student Success Roadmap
Complete additional steps on the CLAS Student Success Roadmap to round out your MSU Denver experience.
Contact the Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy
Connect with Us
Phone: (303) 615-2052
Email: [email protected]
Campus Location:
Boulder Creek
Room 132
Boulder Creek, Auraria Campus – Google Map